I Will Be Here For You
by Christina TM
Summary: My first shot at Charlie angst. Coach Bombay gives Charlie some comfort during a tough time.


DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Ducks; if I did I'd be busy making _D4 _instead of writing fanfiction. _I Will Be Here For You _belongs to Michael W. Smith.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I'm tired of simply reading and reviewing Charlie angst, so I'm writing my own. This does deal with character death, but it's not a main character. I guess this would take place in an alternate universe, probably sometime shortly after _D1. _This fic alternates between Charlie's and Coach Bombay's POV (of course-I can't completely disregard my signature Bombay POV!). When there is a switch, it will be marked.

RATED: PG for death, descriptions of death and the major angst factor.

ARCHIVES: Flying Proud (www.geocities.com/chorins96/ducks.html), Coaches' Campout (www.geocities.com/chorins96/coachescampout/index.html), and Captain's Corner (www.geocities.com/chorins96/captainscorner/index.hrml) (not sure of this URL).

I WILL BE HERE FOR YOU 

COACH BOMBAY'S POV 

"Charlie, come on." I placed my arm around Charlie's shoulders and gently guided him out of the cemetery. "Let's go."

Charlie followed my lead, but continued looking over his shoulder until we could no longer see the grave. "Bye, Mom." He whispered.

I quickly wiped my eyes and hoped Charlie wouldn't notice. "Come on." I said, "We're at the car."

Charlie opened the passenger's side door and got in. He drew his knees up to his chest, wrapped his arms around them, and stared straight ahead. I wanted to say something, but decided that would be unwise. Instead, I started the car and headed off to my apartment.

CHARLIE'S POV 

Coach and I rode in complete silence to his apartment. I had agreed to live there until I turned eighteen so I wouldn't be placed in a foster home. I wanted to say something, but I couldn't. Every time I tried, tears would flood my eyes. I wanted to cry, and at the same time I didn't want to cry. Mom wouldn't want me to cry. I was pretty sure Coach didn't want me to cry, either. 

"Hey, Charlie." Coach said. "Come on, we're here."

I nodded mutely and got out of the car. I could tell Coach was worried, and I wanted to tell him not to worry, that I was OK. But I wasn't OK. How could I be OK after seeing my mother shot dead in front of me? Anyway, I doubt I could have told Coach anything without breaking down in tears.

I numbly followed Coach to the elevator and then to his apartment. As soon as we got inside and Coach closed the door, he lifted my chin and made me look at him. "Charlie." He said quietly. "Talk to me, son."

I tried, but I couldn't talk. I couldn't even form a word without sobbing. Coach led me over to his couch and sat me down. He sat down next to me and rubbed my back. "Charlie?" He asked.

"I…m-miss her." I stuttered between sobs. "I miss her…s-s-so mu-uch."

Coach moved a little closer to me and hugged me. I curled into a ball on his lap and buried my face in his shoulder. "She loved you, Charlie." Coach whispered to me. "That's why she took that bullet. She did it because she loved you, and she wanted you to live."

"But how can I live without my mom?" I cried. "Coach, I can't get it out of my head! Every time I close my eyes it's all I see! Just…those two thugs trying to get me, and then Mom jumping in front of me!" I was crying uncontrollably now. I could hardly breathe.

"Charlie, Charlie, shh, shh." Coach soothed, tightening his hold on me. "It's OK, it's all right."

"Don't leave, Coach." I said, suddenly afraid. I snuggled closer to him. "Please, I'm so scared, please don't leave."

"I won't leave." Coach said. "I won't leave tonight for a single moment."

COACH BOMBAY'S POV 

I looked at the clock. Just after eight PM. I'd been sitting on my couch for over four hours. Charlie had long ago cried himself out and was asleep in my arms. I knew he needed the rest and the comfort, so I just let him sleep.

_"How can I live without my mom?" _Those words Charlie had spoken echoed through my head. What was I thinking? I was gonna try to raise this boy on my own? Sure, I loved Charlie like he was my own son, but I wasn't qualified to raise him! Especially now, while he's going through this trauma of not only losing his mother, but seeing her killed right in front of him. No kid should ever have to see that. I wrapped my arms tighter around Charlie, wishing with all that was in me that I could just take it all away from him. I'd take all his pain on myself if I could.

Not like I don't know what it's like to lose a parent. My dad died when I was ten. But Charlie's case is different. I never saw my father's dead body. I didn't see my father die right before my eyes. 

My thoughts were broken when Charlie's breathing quickened in his sleep. I rubbed his shoulder, hoping that might help. "No…" Charlie whimpered. I held him tighter. "Shh…" I tried.

"N-no. Please…" Charlie shuddered in his sleep, and I bit back tears. 

"Charlie…" I started, hoping to wake him gently. But there wasn't time. Charlie shrieked and nearly jumped out of my arms. "No! Let me go! No! Please!"

"Charlie, Charlie!" I said, a little more forcefully than I'd intended. "It's OK, Charlie, it's just me!"

"No, please! Stop!" Charlie cried, trying to squirm out of my grasp. The sound of his cry made my heart break, and I had to take a breath to regain my composure before speaking again. "Charlie, wake up! It's Coach Bombay, Charlie, wake up!"

Charlie stopped fighting against me and blinked, almost as if he didn't know where he was. "Coach?" He whispered, looking up at me through tear-filled blue eyes. 

"It's me, Charlie." I said. 

Charlie looked around for a moment and then wrapped his arms around my neck and started to cry softly into my chest. I returned his embrace and quickly brushed my own tears away. "It's all over, Charlie." I tried to reassure him. "It's all over."

CHARLIE'S POV 

I was worn out. I felt like I'd been crying for days on end. I wanted to keep crying, but no more tears would come. True to his word, Coach hadn't left me. I didn't think he'd even moved.

"Coach?" I asked hoarsely. 

"What is it, Charlie?" I could tell by the sound of Coach's voice that he'd been crying, too.

"I'm tired." I said. "I'm so tired, but I can't go to sleep. I'm too scared."

"Don't be scared, Charlie." Coach said. "OK? I'm not gonna let anything happen to you, I promise."

"But Coach-" I started.

"Shhhh." Coach said softly. "Just sleep, Charlie. Just sleep."

_Sleep. _It sounded so good, so inviting. I sighed and dropped my head against Coach's chest and closed my eyes. Before I knew it, sleep was tugging at me and I felt myself drifting off.

COACH BOMBAY'S POV 

I had to move. If I didn't get up soon, I'd probably never move from this couch again. But I didn't want to wake Charlie. So I slowly got up and used my arms to support Charlie in a cradle position. I walked to my bedroom, praying Charlie wouldn't wake up. I nudged the door open with my shoulder and cringed when it creaked. Fortunately, Charlie didn't seem to be bothered by any of this. I knelt down by the bed and turned the cover back. I gingerly laid Charlie on the bed and removed his shoes. He stirred slightly and I grimaced, but he didn't wake up. Breathing a silent sigh of relief, I pulled the covers back around Charlie. I suddenly yawned and realized how tired I was. I didn't want to leave Charlie, so I just went over to the other side of the bed and laid down. I reached my left hand over and stroked Charlie's hair. "Sleep well, son." I whispered. Then I closed my eyes and fell asleep immediately.

CHARLIE'S POV 

My eyes flew open. Where was I? I was in a bed somewhere. The first hints of sunlight streamed through a window near the foot of the bed. "Coach?" I called. No answer. "Coach? Coach!" I rolled over in the bed. I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I saw Coach stretched out on his stomach across the bed, sound asleep. _Phew. _I thought.

I was nowhere near ready to get up. My eyes were dry from crying so much, and my whole body felt like lead. I peered over Coach's head and glanced at the clock. Five-forty-five. _No rush. _I thought, flopping back into bed.

I guess that was enough to wake Coach up. "Charlie?" He asked, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "You OK?"

"Yeah, I'm OK." I said. "I just woke up, that's all."

"All right." Coach said. 

"Hey, Coach?" I asked. "Um, I just wanna say…well…thanks for staying with me last night."

Coach smiled and hugged me. "Anytime, Charlie." He said. "Anytime."

_I will be here for you/Somewhere in the night/Somewhere in the night/I'll shine a light for you/Somewhere in the night/I'll be standing by/I will be here for you_


End file.
